A Different After
by FadingIntoYou
Summary: Jackson wants to know if there could be more between him and Cristina. He gets his answer, sort of.


One shot I'm pretty sure. Just something that was bouncing around in my head :] Main spoilers from Invest in Love to Holidaze, but Hunt and Cristina's kiss didn't happen because he left Teddy before he said that he was in love with Cristina. :]. I have no intention to profit from this, therefore the show and all of its characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and ABC.

As Jackson sat on the steps to Cristina's building, there was only one word that kept running through his mind; **Stalker. **He didn't mean to let it slip to one of the nurses that he had to see her, but then made up a lame excuse about leaving his jacket there after the surprise party. Thankfully she believed him, and then suggested that if he ever needed a place to unwind, she'd be more than willing to help him out. Shutting at the mere implications of her suggestion, Jackson got up and decided to pace because it would give him something more to do. _Why the hell am I still here? I've been here for what…an hour now and there's still no sign of her. I'll admit that I was drunk when I kissed her, but the way she made me feel was a rush I've never felt before. I felt as if my entire body was on fire and that if I had the chance, I'd rather keep her lips on mine forever instead of breathing. She has this commanding presence about her, and there's something that lurks beneath the surface which catches your attention and refuses to let you look away. She's a puzzle that I'm dying to get the chance to put together but I know there's more to her than what she appears to be. Why do I have to fall for the women that are taken and are one hell of a challenge to even get close to? Oh right, because those are the women that have this inner passion that I can't ignore, except for the fact that she's the only woman I've wanted that was taken. Why did her boyfriend have to be Hunt?_

"I think I need a psych consult, I must be losing my mind…" he says out loud, not realizing that Cristina has been watching him pace for a good five minutes.

"Well if talking to yourself is a sign of insanity, I'll admit you myself. And what the hell are you doing here? How do you even remember where I live?" she asked, her hands crossed over her chest waiting for him to answer her question.

As she stared at him, she couldn't help but run through the possible reasons for his unexpected visit. _OK, it's monumentally creepy that he remembered where I live despite his inebriated state, but kind of interesting that he went through the trouble. Why he's here though is still a mystery. I remember the kiss we shared vividly, but I really don't want to analyze it. Owen hasn't been that great of a boyfriend, you know with the lingering gazes he throws Barbie's way and all, but I don't know if I'm ready to start over on my own when I can't be sure of the consequences. Only problem with all of this is the fact the Avery makes me want to throw caution to the wind and pull him against a wall with me again. Damn, this is all bad._

Noticing Cristina's far off gaze, he decided that being honest and upfront with her would be the best course of action.

"Look Yang, is there any chance we could…talk? You know one on one…" he asked nervously, wondering when the hell rubbing the back of his neck became a nervous habit. Pulling his hand down, he stuck both of his hands in his back pockets and rocked on his heels waiting for her to yell at him.

Deciding that if she were ever going to decide what exactly that kiss meant between them, the best way to get those answers were to talk to him. Even though talking to him, in her apartment, alone wasn't the most ideal, she thought that it was better than an on call room. _Barely enough room to move, let alone get distance to talk like mature adults. Also there being that history of a kiss and growing attraction…oh yeah, an on call room could be worse. _

"Fine, let's go. Just don't do anything that would warrant me having to explain your absence at work tomorrow ok?" she said, brushing past his body and into her building knowing that he was no more than five steps behind her. Hurrying to catch up with her, Jackson couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of arousal because he would have an entire apartment to himself and Cristina. _Oh god, don't even go there. Sure we may be alone, but there's no way in hell anything would happen. At least, I think…_

As Cristina nears her apartment, she couldn't pinpoint the emotions that were whirling inside of her. _He's a Mercy Wester, that's all. He may have one hell of an ass and eyes and a smile to die for, but that doesn't matter, right? I shouldn't have done this; we'll be alone in my apartment due to the fact that Callie is with Arizona tonight and Owen's on call. Something about all of this is oddly exhilarating, like this is a forbidden act when all we plan on doing is talk. Haha, only planning to talk; like everything that happens is planned._

Finally reaching her apartment and unlocking the door, Cristina steps in and hangs up her coat only to turn and watch a confused looking Avery standing in her doorway,

"Unless you expect us to have this one on one conversation through my door, I'd advise you actually get in my apartment"

"Oh, uh ok" he mumbles as he walks into her apartment and stands in the middle of her living room.

"You're allowed to sit you know. What the hell is your problem, I mean, do I seriously have to admit you or something?" she said, making her way to her bedroom.

"I'll be right back; please don't hurt yourself while I'm gone ok?"

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked puzzled.

"To get changed if that's ok with you" she said sarcastically as she shut her door behind her.

Sitting on Cristina's couch, Jackson ran his hands over his face trying to rub the mental images from him mind. _Cristina, naked, getting comfortable to sit close to me and talk about a type of physical encounter we've had. I'm going to keel over right here._

As Cristina walked back out into her living room and started towards the couch where she planned to sit next to Jackson, it took everything he had not to tackle her and pin her body to the floor. She sat down next to him in a pair of yoga pants and a formfitting tank top that left little to the imagination. _She's going to be the death of me, but what a way to go._

Noticing that he seemed a bit tongue tied, Cristina decided to start their dreaded conversation,

"So, what exactly did you want to say anyway?" she asked, leaning back against her couch getting comfortable.

"Well, I just wanted to know what that kiss meant to you. I know what it meant to me and how I feel about it, but I was wondering where it left you…"

"Uh, well…it kind of…it was…" she stumbled over her words, trying to decide whether or not it was best to be honest with him. Coming to the conclusion that lying was just a waste of their time, she said exactly what was on her mind.

"Well, I thought it was pretty hot. It's been a while since I've been kissed with that kind of passion without it scaring me and it's exhilarating. I thought about it quite a few times, but it seemed like every time I thought about it, Owen would just pop up out of nowhere" she sighed, then started laughing. After a few minutes, Jackson thought she had finally lost her mind, but she sobered up and looked him in the eye.

"What the hell was that? Did you just have some out of body experience or something?"

"Nope, just thought about Owen's reaction to you being here" she said, and stopped him before his panic stricken face made him bolt out the door, "He's on call, relax. It's not like he'd be here even if he wasn't, he enjoys spending time getting _reacquainted _with Barbie and the city of Seattle." She finished; a look of distain at mentioning Teddy's name that quickly was hidden as she waited for him to talk.

"Oh ok good. Look, I really only wanted to know one thing; if you weren't with Owen and were totally unattached, would we have a chance of being more than…what we are?" he asked, wondering if she was on the same wavelength that he was.

"Well, if I were single I would have probably considered it. That is, until you decided to try and be the favorite, a hero, and competing for my surgeries" she answered, a slow smile making its way across her face making Jackson squirm a little in his seat.

"Yang…" he said warningly.

"I guess you can 'Cristina' me now, I mean, you have been much closer to me than most people"

"I guess you can call me Jackson then?"

"So Jackson, is that all? Because if it is, I think I can go read before I go to sleep…"

"Actually, there is one more thing…" as he said this, he slowly leaned in and put his hands on either side of her face and gave her a chaste kiss. He pulled back slightly so she knew he would stop if she asked, but instead pulled him closer, and effectively on top of her. He lowered his body slightly, feeling her warmth through his clothes and caging her in between himself and the arm of the couch. She snaked he arms around his neck and pulled him even closer, all the while pushing his jacket off his shoulders. She ran her hands from his shoulder blades down the front of his chest slowly, memorizing every contour of it and just how in shape he was. As she reached the bottom of his shirt, Jackson pulled away to give them both a second to breathe. Putting his head in the crook of her neck, he started to place feather light kisses on the hollow of her throat, making her gasp and dig her fingers into the sides of his hips.

In retaliation to him making her gasp, she decided that putting her hands under his shirt was fair game. She raked her nails slowly down his chest feeling his muscles contract under her fingertips, then felt a sharp pain in her neck from his teeth as she reached the top of his pants.

"Damn Jackson, what the hell was that" she asked out of breath.

"Just me making sure you remember this in the morning. Wouldn't want you to forget now would we Cristina" he answered, tracing his handiwork with his tongue, making her shiver and dig her fingers into the skin just above his pants.

"You have got to stop doing that" he said pleadingly, breathing hot air onto her neck.

"Stop doing, what exactly?" she asked smirking, running her nails over his stomach again and pulling his shirt off in the process. _Damn, he's fine. I'm so going to hell for this…_

"That, unless you want me to play dirty too…" and as he said this, he circled his thumbs over the skin her tank top exposed between it and her pants. He slowly ran his fingertips up towards her rib cage and paused every inch or so to tease her skin. She moaned at the sensation and gripped his shoulders tightly, pulling him even closer than before. Just as he was inching her top up her stomach, there was a loud knock at the door that startled Jackson so much that he ended up falling on the floor. Jumping off the coach, she bent over to see if Jackson was ok until the voice at the door stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Cristina, you ok?" a_nd here I thought I was in the clear for tonight. Karma is a bitch._

"Hold on Owen, I'll be right there" she answered trying to get Jackson into her room so Owen wouldn't see him.

"Don't rush; I'm just dropping something off. Goodbye Cristina" she heard through the door, and heard his retreating footsteps.

Opening the door, all Cristina was met with was a letter taped to her door, and she knew that she should feel sad and angry, but didn't have the heart to tap into those emotions. _I guess he knows me better than I know myself. Funny I guess, but it's better than nothing. _

_Dear Cristina,_

_I know this isn't ideal, but I can't pretend anymore and I'm pretty sure you can't either. He cares for you and can be there for you like I never could, so let him in and I plan on doing the same. I love you Cristina, but we both deserve to be happy._

_Owen_

After she read over the letter she smiled, knowing that they were both going to be just fine in the After.


End file.
